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drawingboard CONTI NUED ally. Minimize clutter and distraction with wall-mounted shelves, toothbrush holders, soap dishes, and cup holders to help clear clutter off vanity tops, but set a limit at two or three wall-mounted elements to avoid overdoing it. Guidelines for color and finishes Coordinating the device and cover-plate colors with the finish they are against helps to blend them in with the room and to avoid visual distraction. Light-colored devices should go on light-colored walls, and dark-colored devices should go on dark-colored walls. I like to use GFCls with trip and reset switches that match the outlet color. I also try to match the metal finish of the plumbing fixtures to the accessories. For exam pie, if the fixtures are polished chrome, I specify the towels bars, hooks, etc., to match. And don't forget the bathroomdoor hardware: It's a nice touch when the hardware finish on the bathroom side of the door matches the rest of the room. Although there are many styles and designs of accessories to choose from, simple and quality items are most often the best choice. Highly decorative accessories tend to distract from the finishes and add to a cluttered feeling. Play down the accessories, and the tile, paint color, trim, and other finishes shine. Spending a little extra money for quality items is well worth the expense. You'll be using them several times a day, so they're worth the splurge. Russell Hamlet is an architect on Bainbridge Island, Wash. Drawings by the author. See pp. 54-57 for examples of his work. Towel bars It always seems hard to find enough towel-bar space, but some good, creative options exist. Ideally, you'll have room for a 24-in.-long towel bar, which is more effective for towel-drying than a shorter one. Also, towels look better stretched out. For hand towels, a ring or hook works well in lieu of a bar if space is limited, but in all cases, keep 18 in. clear below for hanging the hand towel. 124 FINE HOMEBUILDING Install towel bars in. off the finished floor. 36 48 to in. Mount towel bar in. to above any horizontal band or 3 4 wainscoting. Install shelves between and the shower floor. Corner shelves work well because they keep bathing items handy yet out of the way. 54 in. off 48 in. The controls are floor. Above the controls, the showerhead is 76 Shower ergonomics Even if grab bars are not needed for current users, consider installing them now for the future (they make great towel bars). If you choose not to install them now, provide blocking during construction so that grab bars can be added easily later. Two excellent sources of information for locating and mounting grab bars are ADA Standards for Accessible Design (www.ada.gov) and " Installing Grab Bars" (FHB #1 36, pp. 90-93). 42 in. off the shower floor. In. off the shower in. Swing-out towel bars Shower-door-pulll towel-bar combination Double towel bars